Much Like Death
by HereticHecate
Summary: "Consider me the prime example of death; In plain sight, ever-changing, ever-lasting, striking when you least expect, as unforgiving as I am merciful, and I make an excellent devil's chocolate cake. Just don't ask me to make pancakes though."


Disclaimer: I do not own "Looking for Group" or any of its characters. Only the ocs are mine.

The Ever-Changing

"My messenger", whispered a voice in Sil's head.

Sil opened her violet eyes and arose from her meditation. She walked to the ebony alter and ran her hand upon the cool stone. I small smile appeared on her lips as she felt the presence in her mind shiver with bliss.

"Master", she said lovingly.

She heard the essence chuckle softly before saying, "My dear daughter, the time has come. I have an important task that can wait no longer for you."

"Command me father and it shall be done", answered Sil loyally. A cold touch trailed across her cheek as she heard her god whisper, "I know my child. But this quest my bring you to my plane of existence if you do not tread carefully. Though I may be Death itself, I have no wish for you to join me so soon." The young woman's smile grew only bigger as she replied, "Fear not my lord. I have never failed you before and I shall not fail now. But I shall heed your warning."

She felt the entity hum with approval. "Good my daughter", he said, "To the far west of here, there is a Kingdom of Kethenecia. You must go there and confront the warlock that lives outside of the city's walls. For years, he has been capturing the souls that belong rightfully to me and using them for his amusement. I care little with how you approach, but you must reap those souls so that the balance is restored." Sil bowed slightly to the alter and she retrieved her scythe from the mantle. It's silver blade glowed with the essence of death as her hands grasped its bone-carved handle. It felt good to have its familiar weight in her hands again. Strapping her weapon to her back and attaching her pack to her belt, she headed toward the temple's entrance.

"Oh, there is one last thing", the voice said giving Sil pause, "This warlock is very powerful and will not hesitate to kill you if you challenge him."

"Then I shall ensure to kill him first", answered Sil.

The God of Death chuckled as he replied, "You could if he was still alive, my child. He is beyond the reaches of mortality, and has become an undead abomination from his evil acts against the innocent. He can be defeated, but by no way you would destroy a mortal. Keep your wits about you and be prepared."

Sil laughed softly, her violet eyes shifting to their pale, pupil-less forms as she said, "Good. It's been a while since I have had a real challenge."

Richard gazed up at the sun and sighed blissfully. "What a gorgeous day", he said in a deep voice as he breathed in the fresh air, "The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the children find joy as they play among the fields." The warlock smiled evilly as he threw a fireball near some children, who ran away in terror from their attacker. "Ah much better."

"Richard! Stop terrorizing the children this instant!", came an enraged voice.

Richard turned to find Benny stalking toward him. He smirked under his cowl as the rage in her eyes became more apparent has the distance between them lessened. "What's wrong Benny? Ya never minded my fun before. Do tell me you're going through that "maternal period." The priestess's scowl only deepened as she crossed her arms and replied, "Stop asking me that we bag of bones! I just don't want Cale to have to deal with a rebellion just because you find it amusing to torture his citizens!"

"Would you rather I switch to torturing Cale again? Because I can certainly-"

"You will do no such thing Richard! He has enough to deal with", a tinge of sadness appeared in the orcs eyes before it was quickly swept away.

"Awe", mocked Richard, "Is poor little Benny sad because her squeeze is always busy?"

Benny only answered with silence... and a quick whack of her staff.

Before Richard could retort an unknown voice said, "Hello?" Benny and Richard turned to find an unknown woman standing not far off from them. She was of medium height, with light gray skin and long, messy black hair that had a single streak of white. She had a young face, with wide violet eyes, stained-black lips, and brows composed of six silver studs instead of fine hair, as to compliment to the silver crown that outlined her face. She wore a black, sleeveless, dress-like cloak that was trimmed with fur along the shoulders and it rim. Her neck, arms, and legs were encased in lithe, silver metal armor, as she wore toe-curved silver boots with one large onyx on each knee. Upon her back, Richard and Benny could see that deadly scythe that reeked of death and magic. What stood before them was no mere woman, but a deadly warrior as well.

Benny locked eyes with the girl as she said, "Can I help you miss?"

They saw as the stranger smiled softly as she replied, "Such manners! It has been a long time since anyone has ever offered help to me, especially from your kind. It's good to see that some individuals have made attempts to break away from the norms of their culture." Before Benny could say anything, the strange woman continued, "An interesting question you have posed. "Can you help me", as in you are asking for my opinion upon your ability to help. I think the more proper question you should ask is, "How can I help you", in terms that you are asking if I need help, as well as offering your assistance at the same time. Therefore, the revised question saves time and energy, meaning that everyone gets their job done faster."

There was a brief pause, as the orc and warlock stared at their counterpart. Sensing their impatience, the stranger said, "I apologize. It as been quite a while since I socialize with... well anyone. To answer your question, yes I think you can help me. I have been sent to find a powerful warlock that lives in this kingdom. It is important that I speak with him immediately." Richard's ears perked up, and a smirk grew under his mask. "Really now?", he said, "Well miss, you'll have to give us more information than that if you want our help." He shot Benny a quick look to tell her to keep quiet, to which she heeded. "So what is this warlock's name?", asked Richard.

"I do not know", answered the stranger, "All I was told is that he is extremely powerful, evil, nearly immortal, and could be found in this area."

"That's it? No other information?"

"Well there is one thing. I heard he is a complete mama's boy, a wannabe evil-doer, ruler of the Land of the Noobs, and smells like a lilac", answered the stranger with an evil smile.

Richard narrowed his golden eyes as he growled, "Really now?"

"Okay, maybe I was stretching the mama's boy, but I swear he smells like he jumped into a pile of flowers. What, does he think that those flowers are going to cover up the stink, or does he just like to smells pretty?" She laughed as she dodge the flaming fireball aimed at her.

"Foolish mortal! You dare slander me? I, RICHARD CHIEF WARLOCK OF THE BROTHERS OF DARKNESS, LORD OF THE THIRTEEN HELLS, MASTER OF THE BONES, EMPEROR OF THE BLACK, AND LORD OF THE UNDEAD WILL NOT TOLERATE SUCH INSULTS!", roared Richard as his hands glowed with power.

His opponent smirked and she drew her scythe from her back as she said, "So I was right. You are the one I'm looking for. That's a lot of titles for a corpse like you. Are you sure you're not... Your name is Richard?"

"Yes", said Richard as he took a fighting stance, "Now prepare for-"

The stranger burst into a fit of laughter; Holding her sides with her free hand as tears formed in the corners of her closed eyes. "Dude!", she yelled, "What the hell is the matter with you? Richard? What kind of name is Richard? It's not even scary! Oh here comes Richard, look out for the Richard!" Her laughter only added to the warlock's rage as the fire in his hands gained more power and his eyes started to glow red. At this point in time, Benny thought it was best to go get Cale and the others for help, and get herself out of the line of fire.

The stranger's laughter immediately when she saw the enraged warlock leap toward her. Raising her scythe, she successfully blocked his attack, but was thrown ten feet away from where she was standing. Landing on her feet with a grunt, she lowered herself into a fighting stance. "Can't this guy take a joke?", she thought. Richard came at her again, this time with a frost spell. She lept away as the ground near her began to freeze. Raising her scythe up, she swung it at her opponents head, only to have him dodge it before punching her harshly in the gut. She heard Richard chuckle as she backpedaled to a safer distance.

"See what happens when you pick a fight with someone like me?", he said as he charged another spell, "You only get yourself burned. Now you... By the way, I didn't catch your name."

The stranger nearly stumbled in confusion. "What the hell?", she said harshly as she recovered, "Why the fuck should I tell you my name?" She raised her weapon threateningly as she began to circle the warlock.

Richard only chuckled and replied, "I like to remember the names of those who will give me fond memories after I kill them."

"Right, that's not creepy at all. Are you sure its not because your desperate enough to say a dead person is your lover. Because that seems more realistic."

"How about this, you tell me your name, as well as why you decided to attack me, and I might find it in my heart to spare you."

"You have a heart?", gasped the stranger in mirth.

Richard only answered by casting a paralysis ward on her, forcing her to the ground in a stiff heap. "Damn it!", screamed her mind has she watch Richard approach her. She heard him laugh cynically as he said, "Now, that's better. Now I suggest you tell me who you are an your intentions before I gut you open and use your innards as a new robe, since I truly need to get this one replaced", he motioned to his robes in exasperation. He watched as the stranger scowled darkly at him before he hear her mutter, "Sil".

Richard cocked his head to the side in curiosity. "Sil?", he asked lightly as his golden eyes stared into her violet ones. Sil bristled at his look but nodded her head before replying, "What are you deaf? Yes my name is Sil you bag of bones!" To her surprise Richard dismissed her retort. Rather, he leaned down and examined her face critically, making Sil's innards churn with discomfort. A silent moment passed between the two before Richard said, "You aren't human are you?"

Sil's eyes widened slightly in alarm, before they narrowed as she replied, "I thought that you wanted to know only my name and why am am here, not what race I am. Or did you forget in your old age?" The undead warlock reached down and gently dragged a clawed finger down her cheek before saying, "I don't care why you are here, but it would be helpful to know what creature you are before I capture your soul and devour your body. I may be undead, but I still get indigestion. And the last time that happened, I had to pass up a buffet of babies."

Sil's vision turned red with rage. How dare this abomination assume he would allow him to capture her soul! Casting all caution to the wind, Sil lost all her care to keep true-self hidden. "That's it!", she yelled. Taking a deep breath she released and ear piercing wail that sent Richard flying. Concentrating on the ward cast upon her, she quickly altered it so that it released her from the trap. Wasting no time, so straightened herself up and raised her scythe up once more. "Hand over the souls that you have stolen warlock! They do not belong to you, nor this realm any longer!", she yelled as she watched Richard pick himself off the ground. The warlock turned to face her, brushing off the dust that gathered on his robes casually. "So that's what you are here for", he said in an amused voice, "You're deaths newest little minion I take it? Here to collect the souls of the dead so that they may move on into the next life? Oh the irony that the God of Death has sent you to fight an immortal." He chuckled once more as he charged another spell.

"Come and get them if you dare", he said in a deadly voice. Sil only smirked as she replied, "With pleasure bone-man."

Leaping forward with speed that caught Richard off guard, Sil raised her scythe up and swiped for Richard's head. The warlock quickly dodged and threw a fireball at his opponent. Sil quickly rolled out of the way before casting a spell of her own. Concentrating on the ground beneath Richard's feet, she summoned a pool of quick-sand. She smiled evilly as she heard Richard yelp in surprise. Her joy was quickly outlived as Richard easily levitated out of the trap. "Duh, he's a warlock. Of course he can levitate to some degree!", she reprimanded herself as she cast an energy ball at him. Her attack did little to faze Richard, and only seemed to amuse him even more.

"How interesting", he said he he cast a lighting spell that Sil dodged, "You are a psionic, an bender of reality and master of the mind. Well you would be if you were any good." He smirked as he say Sil scowl hatefully at him. In truth, Richard was impressed by him opponent. Psionics were rare enough as it was, has he recalled only meeting one previously, and that one couldn't even cast a simple energy blast. Rather, most psionics spent years upon years practicing the art, sometimes their entire lives, only to remain apprentices in the art. The fact that this girl could alter several elements both impressed the ancient warlock, as well as peeked his interest about what she really was.

Sil remained silent to his inquiry, and conjured a giant, snake-like creature, from the sand itself. Under normal circumstances, Sil would have refrained from using such a spell, has transmuted creatures tended to be difficult to control at times, but time was short, and the effects of her spells were beginning to take a toll on her body. "Sick em' Orichi!", she commanded her summons. She smiled as the snake nodded and shot off toward Richard; Its' mouth open wide as venom began to drip down its fangs in excitement.

The undead warlock's smirk grew even wider, as he saw the girl's potential. "Interesting indeed", he thought as he jumped away from the creature, casting fireballs at it. The snake shrieked in pain, but continued its assault on Richard, as deep red burn marks appeared on its hide. The warlock was relentless in his attacks and soon the creature fell dead on the ground, it's blood oozing from its wounds as its body slowly degraded back into the earth from which it was created. Richard glanced over toward where Sil stood, knowing that he would be able to catch her off guard... Only to find her spot empty.

Sil watched with sadness in her eyes as her creation took attack after attack She new that it would simply return to the recesses of her mind when it destroyed, but the it did little to quell the guilt of using him as a weapon. Pushing away the guilt, Sil concentrated on the location of Richard. Taking deep, calm breaths she uttered the three words that she hoped would end the fight. She felt reality quickly pull away and vanish, only to quickly reappear behind the warlock. The cries from the trapped souls called out to her; Sensing the powers of the scythe that would sent them to the next world. Sil saw a brown bag attached to the warlock's belt, knowing that it contained avast supply of magical contents, if not simple trinkets. Quickly raising her scythe she sliced the bag away from the belt and grabbed it before Richard had a chance to react. Jumping back from the now enraged warlock, Sil smiled coyly and said, "Did you forget that psionics have the ability to tele-?" She was cut off as a fireball burned a hole through her chest. She looked down at the hole, then back at Richard, then down again, then up once more. With a quirked brow, narrowed eyes, and her mouth set in a firm line Sil said, "What? The? Hell? That was completely uncalled for you corpse-of-a-jackass." Sil felt her flesh slowly regenerate itself into her chosen form. It made a sickly sound as the oily, gray, matter stretched and formed to make new flesh. In mere seconds, the wound had completely vanished as if it was never there to begin with.

The psionic locked eyes with the warlock to find him looking at her, not with disgust or fear, but interest. "Well that is new", thought Sil as she prepared herself for his next attack. It never came however. Rather, Richard cocked his own brow and slowly approach his opponent. Beneath his mask he smiled cruelly as he said, "My, my, it appears I have stumbled upon a doppelganger. You are a little far from home aren't you little shifter?" Sil paid him little mind as she opened the bag and pulled out a deck of cards that smelled of death and souls. Looking at one of the cards she could see the figure of a trapped human being tortured by demons. "What a sadistic man, and that's coming from me", she thought to herself.

"It took you that long to figure out 'O Great and Powerful Richard'?", she mocked as she prepared her scythe to free the souls. She glanced up at Richard to see him standing only a few feet away. He made a soft humming sound and crossed his arms in a cocky fashion. "Well it's not everyday that a doppelganger reveals themselves to an outsider, let alone travel alone when away from the gestalt. I would have assumed you were on a mission to kill and replace a citizen in this city as an attempt to spread your colony, if you had not revealed that you work for the God of Death. Your kind does not worship him, rather preferring the gods the reside over order and unity. The fact that you broke away from that belief and have an individual mind shows that you are no ordinary doppelganger, but rather an Orphan." Richard saw Sil hesitate for a moment as he continued, "That would also explain why you train to be a psionic. Your kind possesses natural telepathic abilities that allows them to read minds, share memories, and communicate with one another over vast distances. Well, everyone except for the Orphans anyway." He chuckled as he saw Sil grasp her scythe even tighter.

"You are an outcast among your people. Completely cutoff from their way of life. Born with individuality, but at the cost of living without the ability to become one with your gestalt. They offered you a merciful death before you could go insane from solitude, or life among the other races for the rest of your days. The fact that you are alive shows you chose life instead, yet ironically you fellow the God of Death." Sil began to shake with both rage and sorrow as the shadow of the warlock fell upon her. He leaned down close enough, for her to hear him say in a cold whisper, "A creature like you would make the perfect minion."

The young doppelganger felt her blood run cold as realization hit her. She quickly threw the cards in the air and sliced them with her scythe, setting the once trapped souls free in a storm of wind and blinding light. Sil's joy of completing the job was tarnished as she felt a prick on the side of her neck. Her eyes widened as she saw Richard hold a bloodied needle over the ruby amulet he wore. She knew what he planned to do, and the mere thought of being imprisoned once again sent a dagger of fear through her heart. Before she could even utter a single word, Richard allowed a drop of her blood to fall onto his amulet. As soon as liquid met the stone, the jewel gave a bright ominous glow, and a burning pain shot through Sil's neck. She screamed in pain and sorrow as the Mark of Binding was forever burned onto her flesh. Soon the energy began to fade from her and her vision blurred. Her scythe fell from her hands as she crumbled to the ground in a heap. The last thing she saw before she lost consciousness was Richard's approaching feet, and her glowing prison.

Author's Note: Yeah I did it. Yes I know I didn't get Richard's character exactly right (He's waaaaaaaay more random), but I wanted to get his more evil, serious side that pops up every now and then. Don't worry, I'll change him back in the next chapter. I also assumed that his amulet could be used as a prison cause he keeps going into it to possess objects. And the cards are his "playing cards" that he made. It should also be noted that doppelgangers are a race from Dungeons and Dragons, and can be used as a playable character in one of the later versions (I prefer to play as an Orphan so I have a free-will). I'll explain more about them in later chapters but if anyone is curious about them, check out this link .com/doc/50609460/62/Doppelganger-Characters for more info about them.

Note: A psionic is a spell user that concentrates on altering reality and changing objects, or even organisms, into something else (Hence the sand-snake). Google it for more info, because I am too tired to tell you. If you don't know what the "Looking For Group" is, chack out their website at !


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